HB497 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Russell BedsoleRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Shelby County, City of Alabaster, plant nuisance abatement further provided for

Summary

HB497 would set the City of Alabaster’s process for identifying, notifying about, and abating plant nuisances and recovering abatement costs through liens.

What This Bill Does

ItDesignates a city enforcing official and an administrative official to manage nuisance notices, hearings, and abatements; it requires a written notice giving property owners 14 days to abate (extendable to 28 days) and allows a hearing to challenge the nuisance finding. If the nuisance exists or is not abated, the city may enter the property to abate it and then charge the owner for the costs via a weed lien, collected with the property tax system and subject to foreclosure if unpaid. Notices must be posted, appeals go to the circuit court with public hearings, and the process includes open records; the act becomes effective June 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Property owners in the City of Alabaster whose property is deemed to have a plant nuisance; they may need to abate the nuisance, participate in hearings, and pay abatement costs through a weed lien.
• City enforcing officials and administrative officials who enforce notices, hold hearings, and oversee abatement actions.
• The County revenue commissioner, which would add weed lien costs to property tax bills and oversee collection and remittance to the city.
• The general public, which has a right to attend hearings and view city records related to the nuisance abatement process.

Key Provisions

• Section 1: The mayor designates an enforcing official to handle plant nuisance abatement; notices can be delivered in person, by mail, to a residence or business, or to a representative, with posting on the property and use of county records to identify the owner.
• Notice process: Owner has 14 days to abate, may receive up to 28 additional days; owner can request a hearing to determine if the property is a nuisance; hearing must be scheduled after notice.
• If a nuisance exists, the enforcing official issues a determination after the hearing within five days; abatement must occur within 14 days (or up to 28 days with extension); owner may appeal to circuit court within 10 days.
• Section 2: The city designates an administrative official to oversee hearings; if the owner intends to appear, the order is suspended; hearings are public with a written decision delivered after the hearing.
• Section 3: If not abated, the city may enter and abate the nuisance and recover its costs; costs become a weed lien on the property, collected with ad valorem taxes, and subject to foreclosure procedures; the city reimburses the county for foreclosure costs if the delinquency is solely due to the weed lien.
• Section 4: Redemption or sale must include payment of the weed lien; the lien remains until paid unless fully redeemed; provides for extinguishment upon full payment.
• Section 5: Effective date is June 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Shelby County